Chain saw guard



May 21, 1968 E. MARIN ETAL CHAIN SAW GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb.18, 1966 W a K a a 7 M K Z w W W 4 M f M .7 T 3 21, 1968 E. MARIN ETAL3384,13

CHAIN SAW GUARD Filed Feb. 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ad ert wa 3 UnitedStates Patent 3,384,136 CHAIN SAW GUARD Emil Marin, 291 Grevnille Ave.,Mirko Drakulich, R.R. 3,

and Bart McDonagh, all of Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada; said McDonaghassignor to said Marin and said Drakulich, both of Port Arthur, Ontario,Canada Filed Feb. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 528,514 8 Claims. (Cl. 143-32)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This relates to a chain saw guard having asubstantially U-shaped cross section and normally overlying the upperrun of the chain saw. The guard is pivotally secured to the chain saw sothat as the chain saw is used, the guard is moved upwardly clear of thechain. Also a spring returns the guard to the shrouding position. Afinger operated lever and cable and sheave assembly extending from oneend of the lever to the guard, enables the guard to be elevatedsubstantially at right angles when it is desired to use the chain sawwithout a guard.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in guards forchain saws.

Chain saws are normally used for felling trees, removing of branchesfrom felled trees, and cutting tree lengths into pulpwood lengths afterthe trees have been felled.

In all of these operations there is a danger to the operator inasmuch asthe upper run of the chain is travelling forwardly. If this upper runinadvertently engages a branch or log while being operated, the chainsaw kicks back and if the operator is unprepared, the momentum may carrythe saw back far enough allowing this upper edge to strike the operator.

This is particularly true in the operation of felling trees when the sawis being held horizontally or upon its side.

We have overcome this dangerous situation by providing a substantiallyU-shaped cross sectioned guard adapted normally to overlie the upper runof the chain saw and to prevent this upper run from engaging a branch orlog as aforesaid. This guard is pivotally secured to the chain saw sothat as the chain saw passes through the tree or log being cut, theguard is moved upwardly clear of the chain so that the chain pass clearthrough the log or tree being cut. As soon as the chain saw has beenremoved from the cut log, a spring returns the guard to the shroudingposition.

However, it will be appreciated that under certain circumstances, it isdesirable for the operator to be able to elevate the guard clear of thechain saw and we have rovided structure for this purpose consisting of afinger operated lever and a cable and sheave extending from one end ofthe lever to the guard so that pressure upon one end of the leverelevates the guard substantially at right angles to the chain sawagainst the pressure of the aforementioned spring.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore toprovide a device of the character herewithin described which increasesthe safety of the operation of a chain saw.

Another object of the invention in conjunction with the foregoing objectis to facilitate the increase of production of an operator inasmuch asless precaution is required on the part of the operator in watching forinadvertent kick backs.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which proice vides means whereby theoperator can elevate the guard clear of the chain saw under certaincircumstances.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is easily mounted on conventionalchain saws, is simple in construction, economical in operation, andotherwise well suited to the purpose for which its is designed.

With the foregoing in view, and all those objects, purposes oradvantages which may become apparent from consideration of thisdisclosure and specification, the present invention consists of theinventive concept embodied in the method, process, construction,arrangement of parts, or new use of the same, as herein particularlyexemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept,

reference being had to the accompanying figures in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of our chain saw guard per se.

FIGURE 2 is a section of FIGURE 1 substantially along the line 2-2 ofFIGURE 1, but with the device attached to a chain saw.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary section along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary section along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, referenceshould first be made to the accompanying drawings in which aconventional chain saw collectively designated 10 is shown in singleline.

This chain saw comprises generally, a supporting structure or casing 11containing a conventional source of power 11' and incorporating a fueltank 12.

A chain saw assembly collectively designated 13 extends outwardly fromthe supporting structure 11 and comprises the vertically situated plate14 around which an end less cutting chain 15 is journalled, said cuttingchain being moved in the direction of arrow 16 by means of the source ofpower.

The chain saw assembly includes the lower run 17 and the upper run 18.

The guard collectively designated 19 comprises a substantiallyhorizontal upper plate 20 and a pair of downwardly depending side plates21, the side plates depending from the side edges 22 of the upper plateand being in spaced and parallel relationship one with the other. Theseside plates flare outwardly along a line 22' in FIGURE 1, the flareportion being numbered 22".

These side plates, when viewed in side elevation, are provided withpartially curved edges 23 and these partially curved edges include arelatively straight edge portion 24 extending from adjacent the rear end25 of the guard for a distance of approximately /s along the lengththereof. The curve then increases in radius relatively sharply as at 25'for the last third of the length and terminates at the point 26 where itjoins the front end of the upper plate 20.

A bracket 27 is secured to the framework by means of bolts 28 andextends upwardly upon one side thereof. This bracket is then angulatedhorizontally as at 29 and is provided with a vertical portion 30situated to the rear and substantially above the aforementioned sawchain assembly 13.

A bolt 31 extends through the portion 30 of the bracket and normal-tothe plane of the chain saw assembly 13. The ends of this bolt passthrough the side plates 21 of the guard adjacent the rear end 25 thereofand is secured to these side plates by means of nut 32 thus pivoting theguard to the bracket 27, bearing sleeve 31 being mounted on the bolt 31.

. fens the guard at this point but adds additional material for theclamping of the guard to the bolt 31.

The rear end of the channel 33 is provided with edges 34 and 35 at rightangles to one another and rearwardly of the pivot bolt 31. These engagethe upper surface 36 horizontal portion 29 of the bracket 27 at theextremities of the pivotal movement of the guard and limit this pivotalmovement so that the guard, when down, takes up the position shown inFIGURE 1.

The guard can also be pivotted around pivot bolt 31 to a positionsubstantially at right angles to the normal position, and this positionis being approached as shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 1.

The weight of the guard normally maintains the guard in the positionshown in full line in FIGURE 1, and returns the guard to this positionafter it has been raised either during the cutting action of the chainsaw or manually as will hereinafter be described.

The operation of the device as hereinbefore described, permits theoperator to utilize the saw in the normal manner and as the edges 23 ofthe side plates are engaged by the sides of the out being made, theguard is elevated against the weight of the guard due to the fact thatthe majority of the mass is forwardly of the pivot bolt 31.

In this connection note should be made of the outwardly flared ordivergent portion 22" of the sides of the guard which assist indeflecting sawdust from the face of the operator.

The vertical portion 30 of bracket 27 is extended rearwardly in the formof bar 37 having a mounting portion 38 formed at right angles to therear end 39 thereof. The lever 40 is pivoted intermediate the endsthereof to this mounting portion 38 by bolt 41 held in position by nut42.

The rear end 43 of the lever extends rearwardly adjacent one handle 44of the saw so that it can be en gaged readily by the finger or thumb ofthe hand engaging this grip 44.

A cable 45 is secured to the extremity 46 of the lever 39 and this cableextends downwardly, around a sheave 47 journalled to bar 37 and thenceupwardly and forwardly around a cylindrical sleeve 32' secured betweenside plates 21 of the guard and journalling the guard 19 to the bracketportion 30 by means of bolt 31. The extremity 45 of the cable is securedto the upper plate 20 of the guard after passing several times aroundthe sleeve 32', depressing the lever portion 43, which causes the cableto raise the guard 19 into the position approached in phantom inFIGURE 1. Details of this portion of the device is shown in FIGURE 5.

Conversely, release of pressure from the lever portion 43 permits theweight of the guard to return the guard to the solid line position inFIGURE 1.

Since various modifications can be made to the invention hereindescribed within the scope of the inventive concept disclosed, it is notintended that protection of the said invention should be interpreted asrestricted to the modification or modifications or known parts of suchconcept as have been particularly described, defined, or exemplified,since this disclosure is intended to explain the construction andoperation of such concept, and not for the purpose of limitingprotection to any specific embodiment or details thereof.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A guard for chain saws which includes support ing framework, a sourceof power in said framework, and an endless saw chain assembly extendingfrom said framework and operable by said source of power, said saw chainassembly including an upper run of saw chain;

said guard comprising in combination a supporting bracket secured tosaid supporting framework and extending upwardly above and to the rearof said chain assembly, a substantially U-shaped cross section guardpivotally secured adjacent one end thereof to said supporting bracketand normally overlying the said saw chain upper run but in spacedrelationship thereto, said guard including a substantially horizontaltop plate and a pair of spaced and parallel side plates depending fromthe edges of said top plate, said side plates normally shrouding atleast part of said saw chain upper run, and manually operable meansmounted upon said supporting structure to selectively raise and lowersaid guard with relation to said saw chain upper run, said lastmentioned means comprising a lever pivoted intermediate the ends thereofto said supporting structure, and cable and sheave means extendingbetween one end of said lever and said guard.

2. The device according to claim l in which the pivotal securement ofsaid guard to said supporting bracket comprises a bolt secured to saidsupporting bracket transversely thereof and extending through said guardadjacent the rear end of said guard, and bearing means journalling saidguard to said bolt.

3. The device according to claim 2 which includes a cylindrical sleevespanning the sides of said guard and being secured thereto, said sleevebeing journalled upon said bearing means, one end of said cable beingwrapped around said sleeve and being secured to said guard.

4. The device according to claim 1 in which the lower edges of said sideplates, when viewed in side elevation, consist of a relatively straightportion extending downwardly and forwardly from the rear end of saidside plates for approximately two-thirds of the length of said sideplates and then curving upwardly and at an increased radius, forapproximately the last third of the length of said side plates, thelower sides of said side plates being outwardly flared to act as sawdustdeflectors, and a guard reinforcing channel secured over the rear ortionof said guard.

5. The device according to claim 4 in which said last mentioned meanscomprises a lever pivoted intermediate the ends thereof to saidsupporting structure, and cable and sheave means extending between oneend of said lever and said guard.

6. The device according to claim 4 in which the pivotal securement ofsaid guard to said supporting bracket comprises a bolt secured to saidsupporting bracket transversely thereof and extending through said guardadjacent the rear end of said guard, and bearing means journalling saidguard to said bolt.

7. The device according to claim 5 in which the pivotal securement ofsaid guard to said supporting bracket comprises a bolt secured to saidsupporting bracket transversely thereof and extending through said guardadjacent the rear end of said guard, and bearing means journalling saidguard to said bolt.

8. The device according to claim 4 which includes a cylindrical sleevespanning the sides of said guard and being secured thereto, said sleevebeing journalled upon said bearing means, one end of said cable beingwrapped around said sleeve and being secured to said guard.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,737,985 3/1956 Utz 143-l593,059,673 10/1962 Woleslagle l4332 3,230,987 1/1966 Woleslagle 14332DONALD R. SCHRAN, Primary Examiner.

